Composition for preparing cement--adhesive reinforcing fibers

Abstract

A modifier composition is disclosed for compounding with a polyolefin to produce a resin from which cement adherent polyolefin fibers may be produced by conventional fiber forming methods. The modifier composition comprises the reaction product of a vinyl alcohol copolymer with an acid modified polyolefin. Such modifier composition when compounded in from about 1 to about 10 weight percent with a polyolefin, preferably polypropylene, provides a resin from which cement adherent fibers may be produced.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber reinforced cement article comprising: cement having in intimate admixture therein from about 1 to about 10 percent by volume fibers composed of a polyolefin resin composition comprising: (1) from about 90 wt % to about 99 wt % of an olefin polymer; and   (2) from about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of a modifying agent in intimate admixture with said olefin polymer, said modifying agent comprising the reaction product of a vinyl alcohol copolymer with an acid modified polyolefin in an amount of from about 0.1 to 2.0 acid modified polyolefin chains per vinyl alcohol copolymer chain.   
     
     
       2. The article of claim 1 wherein the olefin polymer is polypropylene and the acid modified polyolefin is maleated polypropylene. 
     
     
       3. The article of claim 2 wherein the vinyl alcohol copolymer is a vinyl alconol ethylene copolymer comprising about 28 wt % ethylene units and with a number average molecular weight of about 25,000.